Slaney Retains Every Ounce of Her Will to Win

Middle-distance runner Mary Decker Slaney is back on the track . . . and so is her legendary feistiness.

Slaney, it will be remembered, was the teen-ager who flung a baton at a Soviet runner during an indoor meet in the Soviet Union. Given the Cold War relations at the time, the incident was considered dicey diplomacy.

Then there was Slaney’s performance at the 1983 World Track and Field Championships, where she won two gold medals. In the final of the 1,500 meters, Slaney got into it with another Soviet runner as they raced side-by-side to the finish line. The Soviet woman lunged for the tape, falling face first and emerging with cuts and bruises. Slaney won. Asked at a banquet that night if she felt bad for her rival, Slaney said: “Hell, no. You can bet she wouldn’t have felt bad for me if I fell across the finish line.”

The next year, Slaney tangled with Zola Budd in the 3,000 meters at the Los Angeles Olympics and blamed Budd for her fall. Even after replays seemed to indicate that the fall was Slaney’s fault, she was unrepentant.

This season, after numerous operations to repair damage to her Achilles’ tendons, Slaney, 32, finished second in the first race of her comeback and an impressive first in the Bruce Jenner meet two weeks ago.

In that 1,500, Slaney was battling for the lead with PattiSue Plumer on the final stretch when Plumer made a move to pass. Slaney threw an elbow and knocked Plumer off stride.

With only those two races under her belt, Slaney is looking forward to the National Championships next week and hopes to qualify for the World Championships in August. Typically, Slaney is confident. Asked recently if she thought she had a chance to win a medal in the World Championships, Slaney replied: “Absolutely.”

Trivia time: What do these team names have in common: Boston Americans, Boston Puritans, Boston Pilgrims, Boston Plymouth Rocks and Boston Speed Boys.

Can you say ‘charity’? David Robinson, in the Southland last week to film commercials for a show company, played a round of golf with Steve Chase of the Forum. Chase asked Robinson to participate in Jerry Buss’ LIFE charity tournament, held this week at Riviera. Robinson was unable to take part but wrote a $1,000 check.

Trivia answer: All were former nicknames for the Boston Red Sox, who took their current name in 1907.

Quotebook: Early Wynn, Hall of Fame pitcher, on dealing with home run curtain calls: “All that jumping around, tipping their hats, shaking hands with the fans. I might knock down more of them today than I did when I pitched. I wouldn’t waste a pitch hitting ‘em, either. I’d hit ‘em in the dugout.”